Install on a VPS
Installing Void Linux on a VPS is fairly straightforward. This guide will use a VPS from Vultr but should be applicable to any VPS service that allows the user to upload their own ISO file.
Getting Started
You will need the base install image from https://alpha.de.repo.voidlinux.org/live/current/ for the architecture you are targeting. For this guide we will use the x86_64 image.
For further information regarding the live images and system requirements, see Live Images.
Installation
In the Vultr control panel, under Servers, choose ISO. Note that Vultr only allows two custom ISOs to be stored on their servers, so you may need to delete an existing upload. Click Add ISO, paste the URL to the Void base install ISO, and click Upload.
Once the upload is finished, return to Instances and click the + button to create a new instance. Select an appropriate location, then under Server Type choose Upload ISO and select the previously uploaded Void ISO. For Server Size choose whatever is appropriate for your use case. Add a hostname (if applicable) and click Deploy Now.
Once the server is running, click on the View Console button to launch the out-of-band console in a new window. This opens an encrypted connection similar to SSH. Log in as root using the credentials listed and start the void installer with the command:
# void-installer
Follow the prompts as you would on a bare metal installation.
Keyboard
Select the keymap for your keyboard; standard "qwerty" keyboards will generally use the "us" keymap.
Network
Select your primary network interface, it should be the only one detected.
Source
Choose to install from local source.
Hostname
Set a hostname for your computer that matches the hostname you chose when initializing the VPS instance.
Locale
Configure your default locale settings; this will be used to set the libc locale.
Timezone
Select your timezone from the list of standard timezone options; it makes sense to set this to the timezone of the region chosen when generating the VPS instance.
RootPassword
Enter and confirm the password used for the root account on your new Void installation. The password will not be shown on screen.
UserAccount
Choose a login (default void) and a descriptive name for that login (default Void User). Then enter and confirm the password for this default user. Finally you may chose to modify the group memberships for the user or go with the defaults.
BootLoader
You should choose the option to install the bootloader to the virtual hard disk.
Partition
For a simple install, initialize the disk as dos (MBR), partition the disk with a swap partition 1.5x the size of your allocated RAM, dedicate the remaining to the root directory, and be sure to mark the root partition bootable.
Filesystems
Create the filesystems used to populate the partitions you just created. Choose your filesystem type, specify the mountpoint and create the filesystem, if necessary, for each partition you mean to modify.
Review Settings
Before installing, it is generally a good idea to review the installation settings. Arrow right from the main menu to select settings and use <enter> to review.
Install
This step of the installer creates the filesystems specified in the previous step, then downloads all of the base packages (if configured to install via Network) and copies them to the target partition/partitions configured in the previous steps. After that, the installer generates an initramfs and installs GRUB2.
Boot into Installed Environment
Once the installation is finished DO NOT REBOOT YET. Go back to your Vultr control panel, choose the Settings tab, and the Custom ISO entry. Click on Remove ISO. This will remove the live image from the boot sequence and gracefully reboot the VPS. You will need to close and re-open the console, where you will see your VPS boot into the installed system. Log in with the credentials you created during install. From here you may continue to use the out-of-band console or you can configure SSH and log in from your favorite SSH client.